


A Mother's Wish (Working title)

by bellasaysuwu



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-22 17:33:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22119607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellasaysuwu/pseuds/bellasaysuwu
Summary: Warning: TROS SPOILERS.*********"It seems that time is approaching,” stated the small humanoid.“Indeed it does.”*********
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Kylo Ren/Rey/Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	1. Act I: A daughter's Journey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I enjoyed TROS for its entertaining factor, I was disappointed by the storytelling and some decisions made in the film; which led me to create my first fic to satisfy my own personal desires for what TROS could have been. Please note, while I might allude to other changes within the story, I don’t go into detail in order to focus on the story of Kylo and Rey for this particular fic since their story hit me the hardest. So I guess if you’re interested in what I take out, leave in, etc., feel free to read away~

_“_ Be with me.” 

Deep within the jungle planet of Ajan Kloss where vegetation covered the ground, where rivers flowed freely in the distance, and where trees taller than the eyes can see surrounded lifeforms of all sizes, a young female jedi waited for the force to respond--only to be met with silence. 

“Be _with me_.” She pleaded once again.

Nothing.

“Be. With. Me.” Her voice strained, colored by frustration. “They’re not with me.” She sighed as she opened her eyes, ceasing her meditation. 

“Rey…” General Organa sighed. “Be patient.”

Rey’s nose crinkled in disappointment. “I'm starting to think it's impossible to hear the voices of the jedi who came before.”

Unfazed by the acolyte’s discontent, the wise general reached down to pull out a lightsaber, a symbol heavy with the Skywalker family story, and motioned to Rey to take it; challenging the young jedi to believe in herself and accept a path the jedis before her have taken. 

Rey hesitated. 

“Nothing is impossible.” assured the general. She once again motioned for Rey to take the lightsaber. 

“Nothing is impossible” Rey echoed as she grabbed it, “I’m going to run the course.”

The general nodded in acknowledgement. Determined to not disappoint her master, Rey ignited the lightsaber and ran off with her feet pounding against an uneven path that led deeper into the jungle.

_Believe in yourself. The force is with you. Nothing is impossible._

Words of encouragement she had heard countless times popped into head.

_“Nothing is impossible.”_

She repeated in her head as she ran through the training course; she had hoped reciting this mantra would lead her to truly believing.

_Nothing is impossible._

Thick beads of sweat rolled down her skin. The exhilaration of overcoming obstacles fueled her determination as she pushed forward--she was one with the force.

Failure. D e a t h . **Fear** . Abandonment. _Betrayal._ Rejection. **ANGER**.

Without warning, negative feelings washed over her; visions of her past failures flashed before her, stopping Rey midway on the course.

A single shot from a nearby training droid struck the distracted girl and reminded her of her physical reality. The droid continued shooting, programmed to not stop until defeated. A feeling of rage took over as Rey struggled to block the attacks. 

In a burst of anger, Rey tossed aside the lightsaber, pulled out her staff, and in one, swift, emotionally charged swing, destroyed the training droid; releasing a large pent-up breath. 

Disappointed she had failed the course, Rey returned to the rebel base

* * *

On the other side of the jungle, lived what was left of the resistance. Members of all species, who answered the call of a hero, worked tirelessly to accomplish various tasks in hopes of achieving their goal of defeating the evil that plagued the galaxy. 

Murmurs of excitement, worry, and anticipation filled the air as the resistance fighters noticed a beloved commander making his way to the center of camp after just returning from a mission. When he reached his destination, Commander Poe stopped, waiting for the resistance to gather around him. 

A large crowd quickly formed and a tired young jedi pushed herself forward, eager to learn what new information they had obtained. 

Ready to debrief, Poe cleared his throat. “We’ve decoded the intel from the First Order spy and it confirms the worst: Palepetine has returned.” Gasps echoed across the base, looks of disbelief crossed many faces, and words of doubt were voiced. 

Despite the reactions, Poe continued, “He has created what is called the Final Order, the largest fleet the galaxy has ever known. In sixteen hours, the armada will embark from Exegol and attacks on all free worlds begin.”

Silence fell upon the disheartened rebels.

“Oh dear,” began a golden-colored protocol droid, “Exegol does not appear on any star chart. But legend describe it as a hidden world of the Sith.” 

With C-3PO’s added information, feelings of worry, doubt, hopelessness swept across the crowd. 

“So what do we do?” a voice in the crowd shouted. Eyes darted across, looking anywhere for answers. 

Unshaken by the seemingly dismal news, Poe spoke with conviction, “If we want to stop him, we must find him,” he stated, “We must find Exegol.” 

_“Exegol._ _Sith world._ ” thought Rey. “ _Where have I heard these before?_ ” 

Her forehead furrowed as she ran through her mind searching for a clue. An epiphany struck Rey’s mind and her hand rose to the sky, acquiring the attention of those around her.

“General Leia I need to speak with you. Privately.”

Leia nodded and the master and padawan walked to General Leia’s private quarters. Not wanting to waste a moment’s time, Rey searched for a box and when she found it, she reached down and pulled out a single book. 

“While studying the ancient texts,” Rey began, “I came across Master luke’s notes.He was looking for something to find secret worlds beyond the galaxy known to all of us. Worlds like Exegol. I believe he was looking for this,” she stated as she pointed to a triangular object drawn in the book she was holding. 

“Although Master Luke was unable to find it, he left coordinates of where his mission last took him. I can go there and find it. Then I can go to Exegol and finish this.” Rey spoke, her eyes sparked with determination. 

“No Rey,” the general shook her head, “It’s too dangerous.”

Her conviction unwavered, Rey pressed on. “General Leia, I do want your blessing but I will go whether or not I have it,” she argued back, “It’s what you would do.” 

Defeated by her padawan’s persistence, Leia simply nodded. 

Leia sighed and watched as Rey left the cave with a beaming smile after gaining her master’s approval. Worry clouded the general’s face, but she knew that the young jedi would rise to the occasion. 

A small cough was voiced to make a petite figure’s presence known. Leia turned to see an old friend approaching her. “It seems that time is approaching,” stated the small humanoid. 

“Indeed it does.” 

* * *

The engines of the Falcon hummed peacefully as Rey sat studying Master Luke’s notes to prepare for the mission ahead. She wanted to go alone, but her stubborn friends convinced her otherwise. Warmed by their love for her, Rey paused her studies and observed her friends joyfully.

As the hot headed, but courageous Poe piloted the Falcon, the adorable droid,BB-8, roamed freely, unsure of what to do with itself; Her first friend, the former stormtrooper Finn, sat focused, trying to defeat Chewbacca, who was obviously cheating, in a game of holochess. Rey smiled. “ _If only we could live in this moment forever,”_ she thought.

Before their departure, General Leia made contact with the Former General Calrissian, who spoke about a mission he and Luke embarked upon many years ago. They believed an assassin named Ochi held the key to locating one of the only two wayfinders ever created. He advised the resistance that while they found Ochi’s ship, they were unable to locate the assassin or a clue of some sort. As she communicated this to Rey, worry crossed Leia’s face. She preferred to not send the group of resistance fighters off on a wild goose chase after all. But Rey insisted they left as she had hope they would be able to finish the mission her former master could not. 

Time passed and they had arrived at their destination of Pasaana, a large desert planet located in the Middian system. After landing, the group quickly deboarded, only to find an unexpected sight.

In the near distance, bouts of colors whirled around, contrasting what would otherwise be a bland backdrop full of nothing but sand. Music filled the air as festive beats led the people of the planet to sway in celebration. A longing for a similar jubilee filled Rey’s heart as she looked on.

“We should head down ,” leaded Poe, “and see if any of the locals know anything.” The rest of the group nodded in agreement. They continued into the festival in hopes of finding a clue. 

Drawn to the activities surrounding her, Rey smiled as she watched younglings enjoy a puppet show; their smiles sparkled, swelling Rey’s heart with glee. 

As she looked on, Rey felt a light touch against her thigh. She turned to find a small child standing beside her, offering a necklace to greet the outsider. Rey kneeled in response, allowing the child to adorn the necklace onto her. They exchanged a smile before the youngling quickly sped off to join the others watching the show. And for a moment, Rey felt at peace. 

But that peace was quickly interrupted as a presence she knew all too well had appeared behind her.

“Palpatine wants you dead” the presence stated plainly.

Rey turned to see a man clothed in black, dawning a newly reformed mask covered in streaks of red. He walked towards her, slowly, almost in an non-threatening manner. 

Cautious of what would happen between her and the unwelcomed man, Rey stood to her feet. “So you've chosen to put back on the mask and serve another master," she commented.

Kylo waved his hand, dismissing any intent to make him angry. “Despite what you think scavenger, no. I have other plans.” He continued his approach towards Rey. “I offered you my hand once. You wanted to take it. Why didn’t you?” 

Rey paused; unsure of his motives, she answered back with another question: “You could have killed me. Why didn’t you?”

“You can’t hide, Rey. Not from me,” deflected Kylo.]

Unafraid of the approaching foe, Rey took a step of her own towards him. “I see through the cracks in your mask. You’re haunted. You can’t stop seeing what you did to your father.” 

“Do you still count the days since your parents left? Such pain in you, such anger,” he retorted.

Engaged in a battle of wit, Kylo and Rey were ready to highlight each other’s weaknesses, intent on making their opponent see that the other was turning. 

“I don’t want to have to kill you. I’m going to find you, and I’m going to turn you to the dark side by offering you my hand again. You’ll take it” Kylo sneered.

She was unable to see behind his mask, but Rey noticed the smugness in his voice as he declared her turning. She could almost _see_ him smirk confidently. Her eyes narrowed; confident in her own stance and she took another step forward. They were inches away from each other. “We’ll see,” she answered. 

With no other words to say, Kylo snapped his hand out towards Rey and snatched the necklace around her neck, ending the connection. 

Realization struck Rey as she processed what had occurred. Her surprise turned into haste as she sprinted to warn the others. 

The First Order was coming.

“Finn! Poe!” Rey shouted.

The two turned around in response to their name, their eyebrows simultaneously raised as they saw their friend race towards them. 

“They’re coming!” Rey exhaled sharply. The two nodded to indicate they understood. 

Poe looked around, trying to find a means of escape. His eyes settled on a nearby speeder large enough to fit all five members of the resistance. “There!” Poe called out as he pointed to the speeder. 

The group dashed to their escape plan and hopped on. Poe quickly jump started the vehicle and the engine roared. 

“Where to?” asked Poe as they sped off to distance themselves. 

“Ochi’s ship,” commanded Rey. 

While they zoomed through the canyons of the desert, a few stormtroopers had appeared and caught up to them, but were no match for Poe’s brilliant steering. One by one the stormtroopers crashed behind them, failing to catch the resistance members. Ochi’s ship came into view, their finish line was apparent.

“Yahoooo!” screamed Finn; his spirit high from the exhilaration of a chase. A smile spread widely across Rey’s face and Chewbacca echoed Finn’s celebration. 

But the party was cut short when a part of the enemy's broken rocket smashed into the back of their speeder, flinging the five friends into the air. 

_Thud._

Rey groaned as she commanded her sore body to move after landing onto the dense land. But her body did not listen. Her face contorted in confusion. Rey looked around to find herself stuck in the sand, rapidly sinking. 

Panic spread through the air; Rey snapped her head from side to side, finding her friends in the same predicament. She spotted Finn waving at her. 

“Rey I never told you! I..” started Finn before he was swallowed whole by the sand.

“Finn!” Rey cried out and she continued to struggle herself. She watched helplessly as one by one her friends were taken away by the sand. 

Rey squeezed her eyes shut; the sand had reached her face. She held her breath as the sun above was cut off. Darkness surrounded her. 

She continued to struggle, refusing to give up. But she only sank deeper into the abyss until suddenly she felt her feet were free to move. Hope was not lost. She continued moving until to her surprise she felt herself dropping to the floor. 

Rey rolled over, taking in her surroundings. It seemed she had landed in an underground tunnel. Several different paths were before her. She stood up and began searching for her friends. “FINN! POE! Chewie!” she called out. 

From a nearby hole, Finn emerged, dusting off his jacket. Rey smiled with relief as she spotted Finn followed by Poe, Chewbacca and then BB-8. 

“We’re ok!” celebrated Finn. “We’re ok!!” His hands shot into the air, praising whatever force that allowed them to live. Poe, ecstatic, patted his co-pilot Chewie on a job well done and smiled down at his favorite droid BB-8. 

_Qorit Qyâsik Wo._

A chorus of strange voices disrupted the celebration and called out to Rey, guiding her towards a single path that led deeper into the tunnels. She drew her lightsaber in response and shined the light towards the tunnel that was calling to her. Intrigued by the voices, she began walking towards whatever was pulling her. 

The rest of the group ended their celebrations and quickly followed her deeper into the tunnels. 

“I got a bad feeling about this” quipped Finn. 

“Well we gotta get out somehow,” smirked Poe, “Hey whats that?” 

The group turned their heads to follow where the commander was pointing at: an abandoned porter rested ahead of them, stuck in the sand. Poe walked up to the vehicle to inspect it. “We must be getting close to something cuz look, a sith symbol.” he states. 

_Qorit Qyâsik Wo._

Rey, ignoring the crescendoing voices, acknowledged Poes statement and continued to march forward.

Finn stopped in his tracks. His head slowly turned downward to find the last thing he wanted to see: bones. 

The rest of the group followed Finn’s eye movement, finding the remains of who they could only assume to be Ochi; alongside his remains laid what looked to be a dagger. The voices had stopped.

“I assume this is it?” asked Po. He proceeded to grab the dagger from the floor, ignoring the disgusted face of his former-stormtrooper friend. He inspected the dagger and noticed a strange writing on the blade. 

“Uhh...Rey you wanna see if this is like that ancient Jedi stuff you’ve been studying?” he asked as he held out the dagger towards Rey.

The young jedi reached out her hand, hoping she would be able to understand. As she touched the handle of the blade, a vision flashed before her.

Somewhere, unbeknownst to her, Rey envisioned a dark hall. Menacing chants rang in the background leading her focus to a large throne where two prominent figures stood before it. One of the figures was Kylo Ren and the other was _her._

Confusion and fear transformed the young jedi’s face but she quickly swallowed those feelings, not wanting to alert anyone of what she saw. 

Without missing a beat, she grabbed the blade from Poe’s hand and looked at the inscription. She sighed as she handed the dagger back. “I’m sorry, I don’t know.” 

Poe nodded as he took back the dagger. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure something out,” he said. 

Chewbacca grabbed the dagger from Poe’s hand, wondering if he could figure it out, but then unceremoniously placed the dagger into his bag for safekeeping. He was just as lost as the others were. 

“So, how do we get out of here?” Finn asked, not really expecting anyone to answer.

“We keep moving,” replied Poe. 

The giant wookie shrugged and walked away from the group, followed by the small droid to look for an exit. With no other choice, the rest of the group tagged along, trudging along the tunnels for what felt like forever. 

Rey continued on until her skin took on a gloss and salty drops of water invaded her eyes. She stopped to wipe them away, clearing her vision enough to notice a crack of light shine through an enormous rock ahead of her. 

“I see the light!” exclaimed Rey, “Let’s go!” 

While the others followed, Finn stopped and hunched over his knees. His breath was short, but with what strength he had left, he raised a single hand towards his friend and cried out, “No. Don’t go into the light Rey!” 

Rey stopped dead in her tracks and looked at Finn with disbelief. “No, Finn, I really see the light!” she explained as she pointed towards the crack in the wall. 

Finn squinted as he raised his head to find he could see a tiny glimpse of the light outside. He immediately stood up and straightened out his jacket. “Oh, I knew that,” he said.

Chewbacca rolled his eyes as Rey giggled at the absurdity of it all. 

“Hey, so, you gonna move this thing so we can get outta here or what?” interrupted Poe who was looking at Rey.

Rey turned to the rock and scrunched up her face, reaching out to the force. Slowly the giant rock moved creating an opening for the group to escape. Fresh air rushed into the tunnel and sighs of relief echoed across the group of friends. 

Poe took a step outside first. He glanced side to side to make sure their path was clear. Assuming the First Order would have taken the Falcon by now, the group of rebels rushed to Ochi’s ship that was parked directly in front of them. 

Poe boarded first and hastily began to ready the ship for departure. Seconds later, Finn and BB-8 joined him on his efforts. Chewbacca casually followed behind Rey who suddenly stopped. 

“Chewie, go on, and make sure they’re getting the ship ready. I’ll be right there.” The wookie acknowledged Rey’s command and proceeded to board the ship.

Rey walked out into the middle of the desert and planted her feet firmly on the ground. She stood motionless; her own breath seemed to die, creating an eerie sense of tranquility. Her senses heightened. 

She felt a single TIE charging towards her. 

_Kylo Ren._

Rey focused as she turned around to prepare for her next move and ignited her lightsaber.The TIE continued to advance with no intention of stopping--moments away from catching the young jedi. 

Feeling her enemy close, Rey flung herself above the fighter and sliced off its wing; sending Kylo crashing into the ground. 

Before she could sigh in relief, Finn frantically ran towards her and pointed towards a departing transport. “Rey!” Finn cried, “They got Chewie!” 

Rey shot her hand out towards the flying vehicle and suspended it mid air. She began to bring it down slowly, but was stopped by an opposing force. Rey turned to face the opposer;her eyes burned with animosity. 

Kylo studied Rey, refusing to take his eyes off of her; he needed to see what she would do. Challenging the scavenger, he added a bit more force and pulled the transport towards himself. The transport’s metal began to whine. The strain from the force was too great. 

A vein popped out Rey’s arm as she pushed her body to take greater control of the force. She refused to lose. Consumed by negative emotions, Rey reached out to the force and demanded more power, causing a bolt of lightning to erupt from her hand and strike the transport.

Rey’s eyes widened. The transport bursted into flames. Her hand dropped to her side as reality came crashing down. 

“Chewie!” she screamed in anguish. Tears filled her eyes. The air around her vanished. Her body quivered. She didn’t know what to do.

Amongst the chaos, a familiar hand landed on Rey’s shoulder and began to pull her away from the scene. It was Finn. Her body followed him onto the ship, but her mind was racing elsewhere; desperate to find understanding.

On the other side of fallen transport, Kylo continued to observe Rey. His mouth twitched as he digested the scene he watched unfold. 

* * *

The ricketing sounds of the old ship was met with deafening silence. Poe looked straight ahead, trying to stay focused on keeping the ship steady--heading towards anywhere that wasn’t there. 

Near the front of the ship, Rey sat on a chair staring at the hand she believed killed her friend. Empathizing with his friends distress, Finn walked towards the devastated jedi. 

“I lost control” admitted Rey.

“Rey,” Finn began to soothe, “It wasn’t your fault.” 

Rey’s head snapped towards Finn in disbelief. “Not my fault?”

“It was Ren, he made you…”

Rey shook her head, dismissing the comfort. “Chewie's gone! That...that power came from _me_!” she cried, “There are things you don’t know. Finn”

“Then _tell me_ Rey” he urged. 

Rey paused and bit her lip. Her eyes turned to the floor. “I had a vision of the throne of the Sith” she whispered, “and who was on it.” 

“Ren,” Finn stated as he rested his hand on her shoulder. 

Rey raised her head to face Finn. She needed him to understand. “And me,” she confessed.

A small gasp escaped from Finn’s mouth. “Rey, you can’t believe that. I know you!” he pleaded. 

He didn’t understand. Frustration bubbled within her. “I think I should be the one to know who I am best!” she roared.

“ _Do you_?” asked a deep voice, intrigued by the scavenger’s statement. 

Rey snapped her head towards the back of the ship to find a face she did not want to see. 

“Leave me alone” she growled. 

Finn frowned. Unaware of the unwanted presence beside him. “Rey…” Finn began.

Blinded by anger, Rey pushed past Finn and stood before Kylo. Finn stared at his friend’s back, searching for answers.

“How did it feel? That strength? That raw _power_?” Kylo asked as he studied Rey’s face. Truly invested in how the girl felt. 

“Go away” she hissed

Finn sighed in defeat. Still unaware that Rey was facing Kylo Ren. 

“There is more to your story than you know, Rey,” stated Kylo, “Don’t be afraid of who you are.”

Overwhelmed with rage and grief, Rey screamed, breaking the connection Kylo had opened against her will. And she fell to her knees, fearing the answers she wasn’t ready to face.

Finn’s eyes swelled as he watched his friend lash out in sorrow. He moved closer to the grieving jedi and kneeled beside her, wrapping his arms around her in hopes of providing some comfort.

* * *

The connection was cut off but feelings of despair, anger and hatred lingered in the air, surrounding the supreme leader. Kylo ran his hand through his hair and exhaled. He expected the scavenger to be angry but was disappointed that he couldn’t say more. 

Interrupting Kylo’s thought process, a first order soldier approached the brooding leader. 

“Supreme leader,” the soldier called, waiting for a sign he could approach.

Kylo nonchalantly waved his hand, indicating to the soldier his approval to continue. 

“We retrieved an artifact from the resistance,” reported the soldier. The supreme leader shifted his eyes to a dagger in the soldier’s hands. “Currently, we have a unit working to analyze this dagger as we speak.”

Kylo reached down and grabbed the dagger from the soldier to examine it closely when realization dawned on his face, “This dagger…” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I know the first chapter played out a lot like the film, but *spoiler* just think of the butterfly effect? 
> 
> As I said before, this is my first fic so if any experienced writers would like to offer their words of wisdom, please do! All other comments are welcomed as well:)


	2. Act II: A son's resolve

A long, long time ago, a powerful family of force-wielders,god-like beings,lived on a planet believed to have existed outside any star system known to the jedi, sith or any spacer alike; or so it was told in stories, passed down through the millennia. 

Whispers of a weapon capable of controlling, even killing, the powerful force-wielders, accompanied the legend; however, while some have been intrigued by the idea of being able to use the weapon for their own selfish gains, the legend was simply a legend no one believed to be true. 

Kylo glanced at the dagger in his hand one last time before placing it down. Had this truly been the dagger of mortis, only a fool would have spent time inscribing a coded message, without realizing its true power. 

And yet...

Kylo sensed a disgruntled being approaching. He turned to see General Hux marching towards him. The red haired general dropped his head to the floor, projecting an image of respect for the supreme leader before him. 

Hux raised his head. Unwilling to wait for acknowledgement and began to speak without hesitation, “Sir, we have intel the rebel’s ship is heading towards a nearby planet called Kijimi.” 

Kylo raised his eyebrow, questioning the General’s information; he knew nothing could be of use on that planet since it was previously ransacked by the First Order, but concluded that the scavenger probably didn’t know. 

“Set course to Kijimi at once,” Kylo coldly replied as he placed his helmet on. 

General Hux lowered his head as his mouth twitched into a lopsided grin. “Yes _sir._ ” 

* * *

Screams of terror rang in the background as the Knights of Ren trampled through the city. Kylo followed nearby, hunting for his prey. 

After ransacking the hundreth home, he clicked his tongue in frustration. It was taking too long for him to find her. Kylo inhaled deeply and cleared his mind, forcing a connection between him and Rey to open. 

Rey appeared before him. Her surroundings were unclear, but he sensed she was frazzled, like she was in a rush. 

“Rey, wherever you are, you are hard to find,” Kylo commented. 

“You’re hard to get rid of.” 

Kylo took a step towards the standing jedi. He watched as she stepped back in response. He stopped, not wanting to pressure her too much too soon. “I pushed you in the desert because we both needed to see your true power. Your true potential. I know the rest of your story, Rey.”

Rey lit up her lightsaber and drew back her lips in a snarl, “You’re lying.” 

Kylo dismissed the notion with a wave of his hand, “I never lied to you. Let me…”

“Don’t!” Rey interrupted. Her hands curled into fists. 

“Rey, I know what happened to them.” 

“Stop talking!” Rey screamed. She swung her lightsaber at Kylo who took a step to the side, avoiding the attack. 

“Tell me where you are. You don’t know the whole story. It was Palpatine who had your parents taken. He was looking for you.”

Rey growled as she attempted to strike the chatty supreme leader. Kylo shifted his foot and met her lightsaber with his, knocking Rey back from the force he exerted into a podium holding Darth Vader's helmet. 

The helmet fell, but instead of hitting the ship’s floor, it landed before Kylo’s feet.

Kylo lowered his eyes to the fallen mask, realizing where the young jedi was hiding. 

“I’ll come to you then.” Kylo broke their bond and rushed to his fighter. He briefly wondered why she was in his quarters, but his curosity was sedated by knowing she was close.

He spotted Rey running towards the hangar’s opening. After landing unceremoniously, he jumped out of his fighter and ran to catch the stranded jedi.

With nowhere to go, Rey cried out in confusion, “Why would the Emperor come for me? Why did he want to kill a child? Tell me!” she exhaled sharply. 

Kylo removed his helmet and stared into Rey’s glossy eyes that begged for clarity. He took a step towards her. She didn’t move. 

“Let me show you,” Kylo drew a long deep breath as he reached his hand out towards Rey, concentrating. 

_A mother cried out as she gave birth to a son. Her eyes glistened with tears as she cradled the baby’s face and took her last breath._

_A nearby handmaiden lowered her head, wishing the mother a peaceful rest as she removed the baby from the mother’s arms._

_The boy lived on to his toddler years under the watch of the handmaiden, but was quickly discarded when the maiden realized the boy was not force sensitive._

_The boy, orphaned, grew up as a scavenger, selling parts to survive. He eventually met a woman and together they bore a daughter._

_But life wasn’t kind. The parents often drank or gambled to hide from their struggle and the daughter often played alone._

_One day, the parents lost a game on Jakku and with no droid to offer, or spare ship to give, they gave up their daughter instead._

_A small girl cried out as she watched her parents leave her._

_Hidden deep within the unknown galaxy, Palpetine awoke, sensing a change in the force. He learned of a lab-created son who bore a daughter strong with the force and desired to have her._

_To have Rey._

_He hired an assassin loyal to the sith to find the family but was disappointed when it was revealed the daughter had been sold off on an unknown planet. With no other lead, he ordered the parent’s assassinatiton._

Rey stood, motionless. Her chest moved for breath, but no air came in. Panic rose within her and her legs wobbled. She fell to the ground, overwhelmed by what she had learned. 

“What Palpatine doesn’t know is we’re a dyad in the Force way. Two that are one. We’ll kill him together and take the throne.” Kylo reached out his hand towards Rey, pleading she see what they could be like together. “You know what you need to do. You know.”

Rey lifted her head and her focused on the hand presented to her. She felt her arm twitch, ready to place her hand in his; but the sound of familiar engine hummed in her ear. 

Rey stood up in response to the sound, but her eyes never left the hand Kylo offered to her. She moved her head slightly to the noise behind her and saw the Falcon rising, inching its way towards her. The door opened, revealing Finn as he called out for Rey to jump on. 

Her eyes returned to Kylo’s hand, still insisting she to take it. 

A small puff of air left Rey’s lips as she opened her mouth. “I do.” Her voice shook, but her stance told of resolution. 

Rey stepped back and spun around to jump onto the ship behind her. The door closed and the Falcon dashed off into space--leaving Kylo Ren behind. 

Kylo dropped his hand. His expression hardened. He offered her power, acceptance of her darkside, and yet she still refused to take his hand. 

Kylo’s brows drew together as he chewed on his bottom lip. He didn’t understand.

An injured General Hux limped towards the jaded leader, amused by the turn of events. Trying to hide his smirk of satisfaction, Hux promptly lowered his head before speaking, “Although it seems the scavenger has taken the dagger, we were able to decode the inscription revealing coordinates that lead to the planet of Kef Bir.” 

Kylo ignored Hux’s obvious smugness and moved towards his fighter, ready to leave.

“The emp…” 

Kylo reached out into the force and strangled the general. His face visibly annoyed. 

Hux’s hands flew to his neck, clamoring for air. His skin began to turn a shade of blue. Desperate to live, Hux opened his mouth, “Emp...er...or,” he managed to stammer. 

Kylo loosened his grip around Hux’s neck just enough to allow him to speak, warning the red headed general to tread lightly. 

“The emperor... wishes to... see you,” Hux wheezed. 

Kylo threw the general onto the ground and stormed out of the hangar, making his way to the one who blocked his true destiny.

* * *

Violent mountains of water surrounded the young jedi. There was no mercy in the sea of Kef Bir. 

Rey pressed on towards the Death Star wreckage as waves threatened to overthrow her skimmer; She was desperate to find her way to exegol; Desperate to prove she was the hero Leia and the others hoped she would be; Desperate to satisfy her need to destroy Palpatine. 

Rey leapt out of the skimmer and entered an opening she figured was safe enough to go through.

Wires hung from the ceiling and stormtrooper helmets littered the floor. Evidence of destruction and chaos were everywhere. Rey continued to trek deeper into the wreckage, until she found herself in a large room.

Rey hastily searched the area, leaving no part unturned as she combed through. 

_Isaiwinokka Hoyakuts Itharii Exegol_

Dark voices called out to Rey, telling her she was close to what she came for. She walked towards the voices but was blocked by a large wall. She touched the barrier and closed her eyes, praying it will open. 

The wall shook and opened to reveal another room. Rey entered, drawn by the voices calling from within.

Lights flickered around her. Visibility was low. Rey squinted, trying to adjust her eyes to the low lighting when she spotted the wayfinder resting on a podium in front of her. Rey sighed in relief and reached out for the item when another hand popped into her view. She quickly lifted her eyes to see herself standing in front of her.

Rey pursed her lips. She had encountered something like this before on Ach to when she was desperate to learn of her past. Now that she had, she craved nothing more than to go back to the time where she knew nothing at all. 

Rey dropped her hand and took a step back, her copy did the same.

A dark, cloaked individual appeared behind the copy. Rey narrowed her eyes to see who it was, but its face was hidden. She reached for her lightsaber as caution but shock transformed her face when she realized her saber was nowhere to be found.

Rey paused, and watched as the other Rey began to move on her own. The copy slipped her hand into her side pocket, reminding Rey of the dagger she held. The cloaked figure continued to advance towards her. Panicked, she shifted her stance, stabbed the cloaked figure, and watched it plop on the floor. 

But she did not stop there.

Rey stood and watched in horror as she mercilessly stabbed the fallen figure over and over. Her face twisted in anger. Rey reached out to herself and grabbed the dagger from her hands. She growled in response, baring her teeth. Her eyes flashed yellow as she spun to run away, leaving the cloak figured behind. 

Rey approached the cloaked figure, still curious in its identity; and saddened by it’s cruel demise. She crouched down and moved the hood to find a face she didn’t expect--her own. 

Rey jumped to her feet. Her head throbbed as a result of her mind’s surging perplexity, struggling to understand what she saw. 

Remembering the task at hand, Rey reached out for the wayfinder only to find it flying past her and into the hands of Kylo Ren.

Rey turned to face him; distress clouded her features.

“Look at yourself,” Kylo urged, “You wanted to prove to my mother that you were a Jedi, but you have proven something else. You can’t go back to her now. like I can’t.” 

“Give it to me” Rey commanded as she motioned her hand to Kylo.

“The dark side is in our nature. Surrender to it.” 

“Give. it. To. me.” 

“The only way you’ll win is _with_ me.” 

Rey stood holding her hand out, half-expecting Kylo to obey her. Kylo, sensing her unwillingness to give in, crushed the wayfinder in his hand. Its remnants dropped to the ground.

Rey gritted her teeth, her hunched form exuded animosity, and her face was red with rage. She drew her lightsaber and charged towards Kylo Ren who jumped through a broken wall to avoid her attack.

Relentless, Rey followed. 

She raised her lightsaber and slashed towards her foe’s head. Kylo stepped back cooly and parried his lightsaber against hers. 

Waves crashed around them, nature mimicking their chaos. The two panted heavily as water splashed over them, mixing with their sweat. 

Rey’s eyes flickered yellow and her nose flared as she continued to strike.

Kylo circled away from her, keeping his saber in motion and continually changing his stance. He only defended the attacks long enough to observe Rey in her anger. Her movements were messy but full of passion, reflecting the conflict within her. 

Taking this to his advantage, Kylo swiftly knocked Rey’s lightsaber out of her hands and pushed her to the ground. But as he raised his lightsaber, a soft voice Kylo often ignored called out to him.

“Ben…” 

He turned his head. And a calming presence surrounded him, causing him to drop his lightsaber.

Rey, still consumed with rage, grabbed the falling saber and stabbed the distracted Kylo. Her face began to unclench when she felt the same presence Kylo was wrapped in. 

_Leia!_

Rey gasped. Her eyes opened wide as awareness dawned on her face. She reluctantly raised her head to Kylo’s and watched as the color drained from his face. Kylo shifted his eyes to the saber piercing his stomach and then back to Rey. His jaw went slack.

Rey immediately took out the saber and Kylo collapsed to the ground, clutching his stomach. His frantic pants rang loudly in Rey’s ears. 

Rey kneeled next to him, stuck in the grip of silent panic. Her heart raced and a feeling of nausea threatened to take over as she watched his life force dwindle. She needed to do _something._

Rey closed her eyes to focus. While she had read about this in theory, she never was able to actually accomplish this feat. Taking a deep breath she hovered her hand above Kylo’s wound, hoping it worked. 

Kylo raised his head to the focused Rey. His eyes burned with a thousand questions as he felt her life force mix with his own. His wounds vanished and the waves around them settled. 

“I did want to take your hand. Ben’s hand.” Rey uttered. Tears filled her eyes. Kylo continued to stare at Rey but a strong desire for sleep began to take over. His body refused to hold on and his head fell to the ground. His eyes fell as he watched Rey run away. 

“Hey Kid” 

Kylo Ren’s eyes shot open at the sound of a familiar voice. He instantly rose to his feet and swung his head around, confirming he was still on the death star wreckage. 

He then turned to face a man that was dead, a man that he killed: Han Solo. Kylo stood still, unsure of what to make of his appearance.

“I miss you, son,” the image spoke. 

“Your son is dead.” 

“No. Kylo Ren is dead. My son is alive.” 

Kylo stared in disbelief as the conversation eerily resembled the last one he ever had with his father before he killed him. Before he was torn apart. “You’re just a memory” Kylo stated defiantly. 

“Your memory,” commented Han, “come home.” 

“It’s too late. She’s...” 

“Ben”

Ben paused. His lower lip quivered as he fought the urge to break down into tears. 

“I know what I have to do, but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it.” he whimpered, breathless.

The corner of Hans lips rose to a smile as he brought his hand to Ben’s face. 

“You do.” 

“Dad…” 

“I know.” 

Inspired by his new conviction, Ben turned around and hurled Kylo Ren’s lightsaber into the sea, signifying his commitment to never turn again. He took a long deep breath and focused as he reached out to the force to reach the girl who had always believed in him. 

* * *

On an island on Ach To, Rey’s heart pounded against her chest. She momentarily stopped, trying to control her sharp breaths. But it didn’t work. Feelings of regret and failure swarmed her mind. She continued to hack at the ship she stole from the ship graveyard on Kef Bir.

“What are you doing?” Rey twisted around to see her old Master, Luke, staring at her. His eyebrows raised in curiosity. 

“I failed both you and Leia far too many times. The darkness I... I’m doing what you did.”

“Because you’re a Palpatine?”

Rey paused. Her jaw slightly opened, and eyes went round .

Luke shrugged. “You learn a few things when your consciousness becomes one with the force” 

Rey continued to stare. 

Luke sighed as he took a step closer to his former apprentice. “Did you believe in Ben because he was a Skywalker? A Solo? ”

“No, I…”

“You saw his spirit. You _felt_ his confliction when even I didn’t! And he’s my own nephew. Rey, some things are stronger than blood.”

Rey lowered her head to stare at the floor and chewed on her bottom lip as she contemplated Luke’s words. When she lifted her head, a light saber Luke had summoned, floated before her. She turned her head, questioning why she was presented with a second saber. 

“My sister would want you to have this. Take it. I have a feeling you will be needing both.”

Honoring her master’s wishes, Rey accepted the second saber and attached it to her hip, knowing what she must now do.

But her eyebrows quickly furrowed when she realized she was stranded on the island. Her mind raced as she tried to figure out how to get to Exegol. 

“Rey.” 

Her mouth curved into a smile as she recognized the voice calling out to her. She’s felt his presence many times before but it was different now, lighter. Whole. Resolved. 

“Ben” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s always interesting to me how you plan something to go one way, then it just changes lol. I probably re-wrote this chapter a gazillion times because while I have an outline, none of that stuck , causing me to release this later than I had planned T-T Last chapter will be up by the end of this week~
> 
> Also thanks for the Kudos & Comments <3 While my aim is not to be famous, it’s always nice receiving some acknowledgement for what is put out. :3


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